Credential theft via activation-triggered malicious payload
Published May 27, 2026 · Updated May 27, 2026
Embedded malicious code in Nrwl Nx Console 18.95.0 allows remote attackers to steal credentials when the editor extension activates. The compromised VS Code extension runs an obfuscated payload on activation, installs a Python backdoor and persistence artifacts, harvests secrets from disk and memory, and exfiltrates them over HTTPS, GitHub API calls, and DNS. Exposure requires installation or automatic update to exactly 18.95.0; the payload affects macOS, Linux, and Windows hosts and exposes credentials reachable from the editor session.
Summary
What happened
Embedded malicious code in Nrwl Nx Console 18.95.0 allows remote attackers to steal credentials when the editor extension activates. The compromised VS Code extension runs an obfuscated payload on activation, installs a Python backdoor and persistence artifacts, harvests secrets from disk and memory, and exfiltrates them over HTTPS, GitHub API calls, and DNS. Exposure requires installation or automatic update to exactly 18.95.0; the payload affects macOS, Linux, and Windows hosts and exposes credentials reachable from the editor session.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-48027
- Published
- May 27, 2026
- Updated
- May 27, 2026
- Vendor
- Nrwl
- Product
- Nx Console
- Classifications
- CWE-506, T1552.001, T1543.001, T1059.006, T1041
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 18, 2026Exploitation reportedObserved Nx Console 18.95.0 activations
- May 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 27, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion== 18.95.0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Reported exploitation
- Nx Console Embedded Malicious Code Vulnerabilityknown exploited catalog
- Observed Nx Console 18.95.0 activationsreported exploitation
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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